Obituary: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Emil Larek

It is with great sadness that the Wismar Business School and Wismar University of Applied Sciences bid farewell to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Emil Larek, who passed away on 17 May 2026 at the age of 77.

Professor Larek was associated with the University of Wismar for more than four decades. After studying mathematics at the University of Rostock, he began his academic career in 1972 at what was then the Wismar University of Engineering. Since the founding of the University of Wismar in 1992, he taught as a professor of mathematics at the Wismar Business School and guided generations of students until his retirement in 2014.

With great professional expertise, reliability and personal commitment, he left a lasting mark on the faculty. His research focused, amongst other things, on financial mathematics as well as the fields of leasing and factoring. In addition, he was the author of several textbooks and was actively involved in the WINGS distance-learning programme for many years. His commitment to development projects in Zimbabwe also demonstrated his strong sense of social responsibility.

With the passing of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Emil Larek, the faculty has lost a valued colleague, teacher and mentor. His work and his connection to the university will be remembered with gratitude.